Victorian Liberals Saved From Defeat

Chronicle (Levin), 11 December 1948, Page 5

Victorian Liberals Saved From Defeat

MELBOURNE, vDec. 10. The Victorian Country Party saved .the new Liberal Government from defeat in the Legislative Assembly when Country Party members erossed the House from the Opposition benehes to vote with the Government on its Supply Bill. This action secured SuppJy nijtii July and averted any possibility of a State election before then. The move resulted from the introduetion by the Labojir Party of an amendment to the Supply Bill. It is believed that this deeision was . earried in the Labour Payty by a small niajority, with the Labour Leader (Mr. J. Cain) dissenting, One Labour faetion believed that the introduction of an amendment on Supply would bring matters to a head by foreing the Country Party to declare itself. Mr. Cain was "afraid that such a crisis would foree the former coalition parties together again, whieh in this instanee proved-'to be correct. The Premier (Mr. Hollway) said he would regard the cai'rying of the amendment as a lnotion of no conlidenee and would go to the country. The Country Party erossed the House in a body to vote with the Governnieni against the amendment, which was to reduce the period of Supply. Tlie amendment was lost by 43 to 14. As the Country Party members "took their places pn the Government side, a Labour member chanted: "You can have them; we don't want them. They're too tough for us. " • The Leader of the Country Party (Mr. J. McDonald) was not in the House. The Deputy-Leader (Mr. Dodgshun) said the> party would support the Government on State ' development Jegislation and would decide its stand on contentioug iSsues as they arose. «s>